Bonnett Carre Spillway Trail

Bonnett Carre Spillway Trail is a 5.2 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Laplace, Louisiana that features a river and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail.

DISTANCE

5.2 miles

ELEVATION GAIN

59 feet

ROUTE TYPE

Out & Back

dog friendly

birding

hiking

mountain biking

nature trips

trail running

walking

forest

river

views

wild flowers

wildlife

Nice shaded trail. Lots of small hills and switchbacks. Ran the Armadillo Dash here. It's a bit narrow for a full on race, but shade made it nice. Very dry and dusty. Pretty hot in July with no breeze. Would be a lot of fun in cooler temps.

UPDATE: (04/28/18) Couldn't resist, had to go back. trail was 90% dry and 100% runnable. light maintenance and it will back to great shape.

wanted to write a review so hikers/runners/bikers could get an update since the spillway was flooded back in amarch. Today (4/22/18) I ran/walked the trail. The 1st half runs along the waters edge and since it is the high part of the trail and receives plenty of sunshine, it was 90% runnable/bikeable. The second half, which is the shady low side, was extremely wet and difficult to run. I mostly walked after slipping a few times. i'm hopeful a few more weeks of decent weather will help dry things out. As for the trail itself, it is a fun trail with the 1st half behind extremely fast. The back half is a little technical with switch backs and some up and downs. The trail is mostly clean but every once in a while root may sneak up on you, so keep your eyes open. I will try and update in late May.

Definitely designed for biking. Lots of loop de loops fun for bikers not so much when walking. Pretty water views fern palmetto and cypress forest. Saw birds and many animal footprints in mud. Watch out for tree roots. Well covered so ok in hot weather. Many low lying areas that would be impassable in rainy season. Mid April saw lots of wildflowers. Kept my dog on leash.

Not for hiking, this trail is basically for mountain bikers only, and they will fly by you if your on foot.Saw maybe two snakes within a few minutes of walking, and countless snake holes in the ground. Would not recommend if on foot.

Plenty of shrubbery, yellow wild flowers, super lush area. You will see and hear plenty of birds singing and chatting. I encountered a bunny, plenty of squirrels, a few snakes and plenty of dragonflies. There are mosquitos so if you have sweet blood make sure to wear or bring something for that. All around beautiful circular trail. Also a mountain biking trail with boards to ride on if you are into that.

I enjoy this trail quite a bit, but rating it as moderate isn't fair to the word moderate. This trail is flat, well established, and you'll see some wildlife, and as long as you can hike around 5 miles, not difficult.

Good easy hike on a day in February. Didn't have to worry about bugs. Did see trash here and their on the trail. Heard airplanes throughout the hike. Went early afternoon & only saw 2 other bikers using the trail besides us. No wild pigs only birds,deer & 1 butterfly.

It is a wonderful trail, and I am grateful to those who maintain it. Haven't been there since the spillway opened and closed, but before that, here's some advice: Wear mosquito repellant such as a very effective recipe on the internet with catnip tea, essential oil, vanilla, and witch Hazel. Have good front AND back brakes and don’t be afraid to slow down…some of the declines are pretty momentous. Putt-putt once through so you know where the sand is. More important, anticipate the stretches that are 10-foot drop-off’s parallel to water and those with some sand too. It is not a beginner bike trail. When you hear the "bike holler" or bell, just pull over or stand aside to the right to let them pass. Some of these bikers slam this trail, and rightly so, but if you've been riding for a few months, even on the street fast and hard, you can get through. All the bridges have walk-arounds, which I use most of the time. Berms were well maintained when I went, but can't say now. I wish we could get rid of the loose sand for the sake of safety and speed.

I tried to go in but the trail was a bit over grown for my first time hiking alone. I had my two dogs with me and I was nervous there would be snakes, since I didn't see any signs of people on the trail already ( parking lot was empty). I hesitated to be the first to go today, I'm not a fan of clearing the Cobb webs with my face. So yes. I chickened out. I feel silly but my instinct told me it was a bad idea and I got an overwhelming urge to get outta there, so I listened to my gut. I would go again. I will go again, if I saw people on the trail I would have proceeded. Two young Guys headed to the trail and got as far as I did. they sat on the picnic bench at the opening of the trail and played on their phones. Not sure why, but if they didn't want to go in.... I think it's safe to say I wasn't the only one hesitant. The trail is narrow and there is a bayou and lots of ferns, it's typical swampy hiking. My younger dog is a total spas kinda like me, so I will go, but it will be with another person, yes a human shield. There is a cool service road that ends at a bayou which I checked out and enjoyed.

It's a great ride however in some spots it's gets a little to sandy which many times almost caused wipeouts. With the trail only being 30 mins from New Orleans it is a great outdoor activity that's doesn't have to take all day.

Went for a hike on 7/21/16, pretty decent trail for hiking, has small hills here and there but is mostly flat, has ramps, jumps, and bridges for biking, would hike again and this trail has me wanting to get a decent bike to take there.

Went for a day hike there July 9, 2016 with our dog. Access is 61 at Guide Levee Road, so of youre coming from BR its a left AFTER you cross the spillway, and if youre coming from New Orleans its a right when immediately BEFORE the spillway, via a quick turn on Guide Levee road and off again via left turn off levee and down to parking area.

Trail is fun, manages to have some variability in grade. We did the one thats basically and out and back shot along a hummock of land with a canal to the left (west) and the levee rd to our right, beyond the return path, (east). Thats a super nice touch with this trail - its an out-and-back but bikers traveling either direction have separate paths, sometimes by as much as 50 feet (but rarely out of sight and usually within 20 paces) so if youre a hiker a head-on collision with a cyclist isnt an issue - being overtaken at speed is the sole hazard, happily. Be mindful with your dogs, children, and absent minded companions that cyclists will be approaching from behind with little time to stop on the often sandy surface of the trail, so stop off-trail only and cyclists, respect the overtaking party's responsibility to pass safetly or stop in time - best solution is a hearty shout and a wary eye at partcularly low- visibility point.

First time I biked any trail. The first half was fast and pretty easy. The 2nd half was much harder and wore me out. The sand flies were terrible. Wiped out once in a soft berm. I'm a 67 year old fart and only ride the neighborhood. I will definitely go back. I failed to time my run.

As of 2/19/16 the area is closed due to the Spillway gates being opened. They are re-dredging the boat launch. Walked the trail and although the trail is in OK condition the woods are a mess. Grass weeds are piled up everywhere. The trail looked wet and sloppy but was actually firm to walk on. Should be reopened in a couple of weeks? There are closed barriers on all roads into spillway.

These trails are great and easy to get to. For the most part, the trails are smooth with few roots. They are very well maintained, but watch the sandy areas.
The trail isn't marked. I was stopped on the trail and was told to turn around not knowing. Once you enter the trails, stay to the left and you should be fine.

Great trail! It's very well maintained with several markers along the way. The majority of it is next to the water and provides beautiful scenery. The bicyclists were friendly and it was easy to share the trail. 5.5 miles loop took 2 hours exactly....we were casually walking and took pics as we went.

This trail is really versatile. Great for a biking work out, or just a relaxing stroll in the forest. Either way bring bug repellent. The trail is maintained by NOMAMBO (New Orleans metro area mountain bike association). Fill out a weekend permit for free from the recreation center and pitch a tent. I also bring my Kayak.

Beautiful trail at the perfect time of year. First half is right along the water (watch for snakes!), second is through the woods and swamp. Took the dogs and they had a blast. Listen for mountain bikers and scoot out the way! Will definitely do this again.

a good trail for both hikers and bikers but as a hiker I would be hesitant to hike if there were bikers on the trail. there's just not enough line of sight to keep them from running into you at speed. it's a fairly assertive high speed mountain biking trail. I did the trail to test out the new pack in a new pair of boots and it did the trick but I don't think I would go back unless it was deserted again or on a bike. I bet it would be fun to blast through there at breakneck speed